Flying-machine.



G. W. THOMPSON.

FLYING MAOHINE.

APPLIOATIOH rum) NOV. a, 1901.

Patented Ma 25, 1909.

iz 0622 i602 ryeo rjge zarzha'wm GEORGE W. THOMPSON, OF KINGSTON,OKLAHOMA.

FLYING-MACHINE Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application filed November a, 1907. Serial No. 401,:429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. THOMP- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kingston, Oklahoma, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Flying- Machines, of which the following is aspecification. v

This invention relates to flying machines or, as the are sometimesknown, air ships, and the 0 ject of the invention is to provide aneffective apparatus of this type which is.

provided with means for navigating the air and'for causing its ascentand descent at w1ll, the apparatus also having means for readilysteering the same.

The invention includes other advantageous features which with theforegoing will be set forth atv length in the following descriptionwherein is outlined that form of embodiment of the invention which Ihave selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forminga part of this specification.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectionalview of a flying machineincluding my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsectional view of the machine, and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of thesame.

Like characters refer to like arts throughout the several figures of thedi'awings.

The'air ship includes in its make-up a hollow body as 2, two side planesor wings as 3, and a vertically dis osed fin as 4, the functions ofwhich will hereinafter be set forth.

Said three arts'may be made of wood or light metal raming or acombination of such materials, covered with canvas or other suitablefabric, whereby strength and lightness are obtained.

' The body 2 incloses a motor which may ropelling e of any suitableshape,'it is shown as being approximately of ovoid form and somewhatelongated, by virtue of which the pressure of the outside air will beapproximately uniformly a plied'to the outer surface of said body to beof any desirable type, and

t ereby aid in holding the same steady when the shi or'machine istravehng' through the air wit the small or reduced end thereof in front.The forward or front end of the body 2 is open and in. the opening isfitted the for-- ward end of a tube as 5 whlch latter may be of lightmetal or an other material suitable for the purpose. hrough' this tube 5air currents are drawn by propellers as 6 and 6 located in the body 2near the portion therethe pro ellers 6 and 6, and this of of greatestdiameter. Said propellers 6 and 6- are fastened suitably to the shaft 7which extends through the tube 5 and is rotatively supported by hangerstherein; The

tube or duct 5-extends from the forward end of the body 2 nearly to theforward section of the propeller 6.- The body 2 contains a partition as8 located slightly in advance of artition, or

wall 8 ivides the body 2 into a ront chamher 9 and a rear chamber 10.The rear end of.- the tube or duct 5 is sustained in an" airtight mannerwithin an opening in said wall or partition 8, whereby the lattereffectually separates the two chambers 9 and 10, the propellers 6 and 6'being located in said chamber 10.

The side planes or wings 3 extend practically the complete length of themachine or ship; they are transversely alined and are substantially intransverse alinement with the ropeller shaft 7. The forward portions oftl ese-lateral planes or wings 3 are disposed at an angle in an upwardforward direction and the reason of this will hereinafter appear. Therearportion of the body is cut away as at 11 on a downward forwardinclination whereby there will be formed an exhaust opening for the air;such air being diverted in a downward direction by the overdownwardlyinclined rear portion hangin or b00312 of the body 2.

The motor for operating the propellers 6 and 6' is denoted by 13 and itis supported upon the bottom of the machine interiorly thereofsubstantially amidships and is connected in any desirable way with theproeller shaft 7, for example, by gearing 14. en the motor is in actionthe propellers 6 and 6' through the intermediate parts, will be drivenso as to suck air from the rear open end of the duct 5, the air beingdrawn rearwardly by the against the inc ined rear u air act position andeffectually prevents lateral or;

side motion thereof,

I have shown as formed 1n the body 2 ropeller and being directed liftsthe rear end of the s 'p, the front end v the blades of the above theplanes or wings 3 the openings 15, such openings being located inadjacence to propeller 6. Air is drawn by the propeller through theseopenings so as to cause sufficient suction thereat to help steady andaid in elevating the intermediate part of the ship.

I have jointed to the forward end of the tube or duct 5 a swinging "tube16 which in practice will be provided with connections extending intothe interior of the ship and which connections will be manipulated forswinging the tube 16 sidewise for the purpose of steering or guiding theship. When the longitudinal axis of the tube 16 is in coincidence withthat of the tube 5 the ship will be propelled straight ahead. Byswinging the tube 16 sidewise the path of the ship can be varied inaccordance with the direction in which said tube 16 is swung.

At' the rear portion of the-ship and 011 the under side thereof are thewheels 17 the axle of which is supported by suitable bearings on theship. In front of these wheels 17 are wheels as 18 carried by a yoke as19 swiveled to the under side of the ship. VV-hen the ship is at restthese several wheels are on the ground and, when it is desired to startthe ship, the propellers 6 and 6 are set in motion thereby advancing theship along the ground withthe wheels 17 and 18 in contact therewith.When sufficient momentum has been obtained the ship will rise. Justbefore the ship alights the propellers 6 and 6 are rapidly driven so asto impart an accelerated forward motion to the ship, whereby the lattercan strike the ground gently.

Within the ship or body 2 are situated two auxiliary ducts each denotedby 20. These ducts 20 connect with the main duct 5 near the front endthereof and extend in a general rearward direction and are adapted todeliver air currents against the propeller 6, the rear terminal ordelivery ends of said auxiliary ducts or tubes 20 being curved for thispurpose. The ducts 20 are intersected substantially centrally of theirlengths by casings as 21 which contain exhaust fans as 22 carried by ashaft 23 extending transversely of the ship and geared to the shaft ofthe motor 13 whereby-said fans 22 can be operated from said motor. Underordinary circumstances I can navigate the ship by the use of the duct ortube 5, but the efficiency of said ship is materially increased by theuse of the two fans 22 located, as understood, at opposite sides of themain duct 5. The ducts, tubes, or fines 20 in practice are located inthe inter'ior of the body near the bottom thereof. The two fans 22 whenin action draw some of the air from the duct 5, propel the same in arearward direction, and deliver it against the propeller 6 or into thespace between the pro peller 6 and the companion propeller 6.

it will be seen that the purpose of the propropeller 6 and the saipropeller 6 takes up the air fed thereto through the tubes 20, the

latter, as shown by Fig. 2, having their rear terminals directedinwardlytoward the center of the propeller 6 and the air forced through thetubes 20 in addition to the air sucked through the duct 5 will give alarge amount of air adjacent to the propeller 6, but the latter isdriven with considerable force from the motor 13 or overcomes anytendency of check of its operation by the air driven through the tubes20, the fans 21 in the said tubes being considerabl smaller than thepropeller v6 and having ess force. The object of this concentration ofair in and about the propeller 6 is to give a greater volume to thecurrent which is forced rearwardly and thrown by the auxiliary propeller6 against the hood 12 to establish the buoyancy necessary at the rearend of the machine to carry out the operation sought. The openingscontrolled by the dam ers 24 permit air to enter to either one or b thefans, and when one damper is closed and the other allowedto remain open,the air on the side of the machine adjacent to the open damper will bedrawn into the corresponding pipe 20 and the drawing action 01' suctionon the air through the portion of the conduit leading forwardly to andcommunicating with the main conduit at the front extremity of themachine will be materially reduced and the remaining fan having theclosed damper will then operate with full force alone through the saidforward extremity of the main conduit. The forward extremity of the sideof the machine having the one damper open will move with greaterfacility in turnin the machine owing to the relief of the normal airpressure at said side of the machine and the tendency of the forwardextremity to be drawn in the direction from which the air is taken. Whenboth dampers 24 are closed, both fans 21 will operate to draw air intoand from the forward extremity of the main central conduit, and underthese conditions the machine will be kept in a straight course and theair forced rearwardly through the pipes or conduits 20 and delivered tothe blades of the propeller in a manher as hereinbefore specified.

What I claim is:

1. A flying machine com rising a substantially ovoid hollow body, sideplanes fastened to the exterior of the body and ion itudinally thereof,the front portions of sai planes being inclined forward and upward, avertically disposed fin on the top of the body, the rear of the bodybeing cut away on a downward and forward inclination, a suction conduitin the body and extending longitudinally through the center of the body,conduits extending along the opextending ainst the auxiliary Zip positesides of the body and having fans co-' per portion being downwardlyinclined.

'2. A flying machine com rising a substan tiall ovoid hollow bod si eplanes fastened y to t e exterior of the body and extendin lonitudinally thereof, the front portions sai planes being inclined upwardand forward, a vertically disposed fin on the top of the body, the rearofthe body being cut away on a downward and forward inclination, suctionconduits in the center andat opposite sides of the body and extendinlon- I the up gltudinally thereof, the front end of the ody avin anopening to receive the front end of sai central conduit, fans and apropeller in said body to draw air along said conduits and to direct thesame against the upper side of the body at the rear thereof, said upperportion being downwardl inclined, and a swingin tube connected with theforward end of said body and communicating with the conduits;

3. A flying machine com rising a substantiall ovoid hollow body, sieplanes fastened to t e exterior of the body and extendin lon itudinallythereof, the front portions 0 sai planes being inclined upwardand'forward, a vertically disposed fin on the top of the body, the rearof the body being cut away on a downward and forward inclinationsuctionponduits in the body and extendin lon it-udinallythereof, thefront end of the body aving an opening to receive the front ends of thecentral conduits, a ropeller and fans in said body to draw air ong saidconduits and to direct the same against er side of the body at the rearthereof, sai rear upper portion being downwardl inclined, and a swingintube connected wit the forward end of sai body and communicating withthe conduits said body having olpposite openings located in proximity tot e prolpeller an for the passage of air therethro to said propeller. v

L flying machine com rising a substan- I tially hollow body provide witha rear overand fan casings intersecting said a hangingportion airconduit means extending longitudinall through the body and merging attheir out extremities an .passing through the front end ofsthe body, andmeans for drawing air throu h said conduits from their front ends andectlngmthe air against said overhanging portion of t e body.

I 5. A flying machine com rising a substantially hol ow body providewith a rear overhan ing ortion, suction conduit means exten ingongitudinally through the body at the center and opposite sides, suctionand propelling means cooperating with the said conduit means to draw theall along the latter and forcefully drive the same against saidoverhanging ortion, and a swinging tube connected wlth the front end'ofthe body and communicating with the said suction conduit means. a

6. A flying machine comprising a substantially ovoid hollow bod a mainsuction tube in the body exten ing longitudinally thereof, propellinmeans at the delivery end of. said suction tu lm connected with the mainsuction tubenear Y the forward end thereof and for' delivering currentsof air against said propelling means,

suction tubes and companlon" fans for propeging air through saldauxiliary suction Ltu es.

7. A flying machinecompri sing-a substantially ovoid hollow bod a mainsuction tube in the body exten ing longitudinally thereof, propellingmeans at the) delivery end of said suction tube, auxiliary suction tubesconnected with the main suction tube near the forwardv end thereof andfor delivering currents of air against saidpropelling means, fan casingsintersecting said a iary suction tubes and companion fans for propellingair through said auxilia suction tubes, an means for throwing sai fansout of action.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my witnesses;

GEORGE W. THOMPSON.

Witnesses: 4

B. B. STEEL, R. L. Lmnsnr.

hand in presence of two subscribing 7 5 e, auxiliary suction tubes my so

